The University of Texas men's golf team concluded the final round of the U.S. Collegiate Championship on Wednesday in Alpharetta, Ga., finishing in 14th out the 15-team field.
Of the participating teams, eight are rated among nation's top-10 golf programs, according to Golfweek magazine.
Southern California finished the championship with first-place honors, scoring an 864, 5-under par for the tournament. The Trojans were followed by Oklahoma State, who finished with a collective score of 867. Alabama finished in third with a final tally of 872.
Though the Longhorns finished poorly in this week's tournament, Lance Lopez shot an improved 2-under par in Wednesday's round. The sophomore finished in a tie for 51st place but received praise from head coach John Fields, who continues to display undaunted confidence in his players.
"Lance Lopez came out and proved that he can play," Fields said. "[Shooting] under par today with a round of 70 was exceptional. This field was extremely strong and the course was demanding."
Redshirt freshman Bobby Hudson finished with a team-best 226 to tie for 40th place. Lopez followed Hudson, tying for 51st place and carding a collective score of 229. Sophomore Charlie Holland tied for 64th place, followed by senior Jace Moore who tied for 67th place, carding a combined 19-over par for the tournament.
Donald Constable struggled for the Longhorns in the three-day event. The freshman, debuting in his first season of collegiate competition, ended Monday's first round only four strokes above par. By the conclusion of Wednesday's round, Constable had slipped to 26-over par, finishing the tournament in second-to-last place.
In spite of the disappointing overall team finish, Fields hopes to increase productivity in the wake of adversity.
"Our charge now is to use these experiences positively in order to have great showings in our upcoming events," Fields said.
The next event for the Longhorns will be hosted by Texas in its first home-course tournament of the year. The Morris Williams Intercollegiate, located at the local Morris Williams Golf Course, will take place April 7.
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